Cinco de Mayo celebration canceled amid immigration crackdown
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA -- El Carnaval de Puebla has drawn thousands of people to South Philadelphia to celebrate Cinco de Mayo over the past decade.
But that won't happen this year.
Organizers decided unanimously to cancel the event.
The reason?
Recent nationwide sweeps that detained hundreds of people have sent many immigrants into panic, including in Philadelphia.
"It's a possibility. We didn't think it would happen, but we didn't want to risk it," organizer Dafne Tuz of San Mateo Carnavelero said.
The group announced its decision to scrap the festivities on its Facebook page.
"We know pretty much that ICE is driving around," organizer David Pina said.
"The fear is the people come from other cities, come to participate here and maybe on the way they get stopped, and they ask for any legal papers and they don't have them," Pina said.
Mayor Jim Kenney's office called the news to cancel devastating, saying in part:
"I want our immigrant community to know that we want them here, we remain committed to being a 4th Amendment city and protecting these values."
But organizers vow next year the show will go on.
"We're hoping things settle down, and the community is feeling safer," Tuz said.
This would have been the event's 11th year.
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